Beehive.



H. T. WARD.

BEEHIVE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 11, 1908.

- 909,973. 7 Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HUGH '1. WARD, OF INGLESIDE, TEXAS.

BEEHIVE To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUGH T. \VARD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ingleside, in the county of San Patricio and State of Texas,have invented a new and useful Beehive, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to bee hives and has for its object to provide acomparatively simple and inexpensive device of this character, the bodyof which is constructed from cement, concrete or similar plasticmaterial, thereby to strengthen the hive and prevent injury to thelatter when exposed to the elements.

A further object of the invention is to provide an artificial stone beehive formed of a plurality of sections, the lower or bottom section ofwhich is inclined or beveled in the direction of the intermediatesection to produce an entrance passage for the bees.

A further object is to form the side and end walls of the hive withbeveled edges for engagement with correspondingly beveled portions onthe top and bottom sections, thereby to prevent the entrance of rain ormoisture to the interior of the hive.

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve thisclass of devices so as to increase their utility, durability andefficiency.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following description,it being understood that various changes in form, proportions and minordetails of construction may be resorted to within the scope of theappended claim.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification:Figure 1 is a perspective View of a bee hive constructed in accordancewith my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of the same.Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of thefigures of the drawings.

The improved bee hive forming the subject matter of the presentinvention is preferably rectangular in shape, as shown, and formed of aplastic composition preferably consisting of cement, plaster of parisand sand, in any desired proportions.

The hive includes a base or bottom section 5, a top section 6, and anintermediate section 7, the corners of the intermediate sec-Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 11, 1908.

Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

Serial No. 443,021.

tion 7 being reinforced and strengthened by the provision of pillars orposts 8 preferably formed integral with the side and end walls of saidsection, as shown.

Secured to or formed integral with the upper surface of the bottomsection 5 is a marginal flange 9, the upper face of which is inclined orbeveled, as indicated at 1.0, for engagement with the correspondinglybeveled lower edges 11 of the end and side walls of the intermediatesection 7, thereby to prevent the entrance of rain or moisture to theinterior of the hive. The forward end of the base is preferably extendedlongitudinally beyond the front wall 12 to form a ledge 13, the uppersurface of which is in clined or beveled in the direction of the frontwall so as to direct the bees to the entrance passage 14, the latterbeing produced by spacing the lower edge of the front wall 12 a shortdistance above the upper surface of the base The top section (3preferably projects beyond the side and end walls of the intermediatesection 7 to form a marginal over-hang or shed 15, the lower face ofwhich is inclined or beveled at 16 for engagement with thecorrespondingly beveled upper longitudinal and transverse edges of theintermediate section to prevent the entrance of moisture at the top ofthe hive, the upper surface of the top section 6 being inclined orbeveled at 17 to assist in directing the water downwardly over theover-hang or shed 16.

The upper edges of the front and rear wall of the intermediate section 7are rabbeted to form seating grooves 18 for the reception of thesupporting lips 19 of removable frames 20, the latter being of anyapproved construction and arranged side by side, as best shown in Fig. 3of the drawings.

Suitable depressions 21 are preferably formed in the front and rear wallof the intermediate section 7 so that the same may be readily lifted offthe base section 5 when necessary.

It will thus be seen that by removing the top section 6 access may bereadily had to the interior of the hive so as to permit the introductionor removal of the frames, while by elevating the intermediate section 7the base of the hive may be readily exposed to permit of cleaning, whennecessary. If desired, however, the intermediate section. may be rigidlysecured to the base or bottom section by coating the inclined edges 11with a layer of cement, mortar or other adhesive material.

The hives may be made in difi'erent sizes and shapes and constructed ofcement, concrete, terra cotta, glass or other suitable material withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

An artificial stone bee-hive including a bottom section having avertically disposed flange secured to the upper surface thereof on theopposite side and at the rear of said base, the upper surface of thebase at the front thereof and between the side flanges being smooth andunobstructed said flange having its upper edge inclined towards theouter edge of the base, an intermediate section having its lower edgeinclined to conform to and adapted to bear against the inclined edge ofthe flange, the lower edge of the front wall of the intermediate sectionbeing spaced from the smooth unobstructed surface of the base at thefront of the latter to form an entrance passage, said intermediatesection having its upper edge inclined downwardly, and a cover sectionhaving its lower face correspondingly inclined for engagement with theinclined upper edge of the intermediate section, one end of the basebeing extended longitudinally beyond the entrance passage to form aledge, the upper surface of which is inclined in the direction of saidentrance passage.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HUGH T. WARD.

Vitnesses CARL SHAVER, RUDOLPH SOHWABE.

